Refcoal is a carbon precursor obtained by alkali-mediated extraction of coal with aprotic solvents such as DMF. Refcoal can be converted into a graphitic material through appropriate heat treatment. Graphitisable materials require the development of an intermediate liquid crystalline mesophase. Thus formation of a mesophase during the carbonisation of Refcoal is essential for obtaining highly graphitisable anisotropic cokes suitable for nuclear graphite applications. Anisotropic carbons are even more important in other commercial and industrial application because of their distinctive properties. The formation of anisotropic carbon depends on the nature of the parent precursor, temperature and carbonisation conditions, especially the molecular mobility during the mesophase stage. High-temperature extraction of coal produces Refcoal that yield cokes with a low level of anisotropy. Good control of the mesophase stage during carbonisation may lead to the development of anisotropic cokes. Hydrogen donor additives increase the molecular mobility in the liquid phase by stabilising the free radicals formed by thermal decomposition of coal. Hydrogen donor additives also increase the temperature range over which fluidity occurs, thereby allowing the formation of large sized mosaic structures. Mittal pitches (CTP) and tetralin were examined for their effectiveness as hydrogen donor additives. Refcoal blends containing 10 to 50% by mass additive were prepared by mixing and carbonisation conducted at temperatures ranging form 400 to 1000 °C. Samples were analysed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT), optical microscope techniques, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that addition of at least 10% tetralin improves the optical texture of Refcoal cokes and also increases the carbon yield. In both tetralin and pitch addition, 20% additive gave coarse circular anisotropic cokes after carbonisation at 650°C. However the carbon yield was reduced for the Refcoal coke treated with Mittal pitch. In fact the yield roughly decreases with an increase in pitch content. Although the cokes from pitch treated Refcoals showed a low ratio of d/g (where d indicates the degree of disordering and g the degree of ordering), Raman and XRD results indicate little further improvement in crystallinity but SEM showed development of a smooth morphology with increasing pitch content. Previous literature results suggest that this indicates that the material must have passed through a mesophase stage. Surprisingly, the addition of tetralin yielded cokes with high ratio of d/g, but improved the carbon yield and optical anisotropy. Increasing tetralin content in the carbonising system increased the size of anisotropic textures but the SEM micrographs show rough morphology with compounds that appear to inhibit mesophase spheres coalescence. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Chemistry / unrestricted

Non-profit organizations have provided substantial services and resources to society such as arts, education, and social services. The cultivation and generation of financial donations through fundraising and development efforts are critical to the operation of non-profit organizations. This reality compels these organizations to continually attract and retain donors. To assist non-profit organizations' efficacy in fundraising, prior research has indicated the need for more studies on individual donor actions which could lead to a comprehensive model of donor behavior. One variable that had not yet been studied in relation to donor behavior is the influence of residency on donor motivations, specifically donors that own homes in different communities. Extant research reports that differences exist for homeowners related to their primary and secondary residences. These differences are evidenced by disparity in place attachment for the homeowners and by a variance in their behaviors at each home. This study surveyed non-profit organization donors in South Florida who own primary and secondary homes in different communities to determine if donors would exhibit a difference in their motivations for giving based on their different residences. Partial Least Squares regression, augmented with permutation tests, was run to evaluate hypotheses: donors would exhibit a difference in various motivations for making donations to non-profit organizations based on their residences. Results indicate no significant difference in donor motivation between the two residences; however, the significance levels of the latent variables did exhibit differences. The motivation factor of affinity for a cause/organization indicates an area of significance to both researchers and practitioners. The results of the study point to no differences in the amount donated based on whether the donor is considering their primary or secondary residence. Based on these findings, fundraisers do not need to target potential donors based on "seasonal" versus "permanent" residency; altruism, egoism, and tangible/financial benefits are similarly applicable regardless of location. One useful finding for managers with future fundraising campaigns is donor-perceived differences in affinity for organizations/causes and affinity for community. Fundraising efforts that center on campaigns and activities that create greater bonds between the donor and the organization/cause/community could foster greater fundraising results than those that appeal to simply "doing good" and "being important".

This thesis analyzes Canadian NGOs’ relationship with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in the context of the competitive funding mechanism. It captures NGOs’ perspectives on the changing CIDA-NGO relationship, noting the range of NGO responses regarding advocacy efforts, public engagement, organizational priorities and overseas partnerships. The findings indicate that the relationship between CIDA and NGOs cannot be defined as partnership, but rather as one that spans the categories of “contracting” and “extension” in the Brinkerhoff (2002) partnership model. Additionally, employing Elbers and Arts’ (2011) typology, the thesis concludes that NGOs seek to “influence” CIDA through meetings with officers and politicians, “buffer” their partners from negative CIDA impacts, “shield” themselves by limiting their level of CIDA support and “compensate” by funding advocacy and public engagement from internal sources. Moreover, I include “innovation” as an additional strategy that NGOs can employ as a response to donor conditions.

The Southern And Eastern Africa Rainwater Network (SEARNET) seeks to promote rainwater harvesting as a risk reduction strategy and means to improve livelihoods through its member national rainwater harvesting associations. SEARNET is an important channel of international donor funding from the Swedish and Dutch governments, and exists to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experiences of rainwater harvesting through networking. To identify the environmental and organisational issues affecting SEARNET, a questionnaire was sent to SEARNET members that asked open-ended questions about the value of rainwater harvesting to their country and the value of SEARNET to their association. Respondents raised issues that were pertinent to both their association and to SEARNET. Issues were also identified in a survey of Annual Country Status Reports (country reports) presented by national rainwater harvesting associations at the annual SEARNET conferences. Issues included water scarcity and sustainable water supplies; registration as a barrier to funding; a mismatch between donor funding and institutional requirements; and the need for better networking at the SEARNET conference. Several recommendations are made to improve both the promotion of rainwater harvesting by SEARNET members and the networking of SEARNET itself.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This dissertation focuses on the philanthropic partnerships at Red Cloud Indian School, a private-public religious partnership that educates approximately 600 Lakota students on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, during the worst recession since the Great Depression – 2007 through 2011. Research finds that during this time contributions fell for Native American organizations, educational and religious organizations. Despite these realities, contributions to Red Cloud Indian School increased. Red Cloud Indian School attempted numerous fundraising approaches dating back to the late 1880s with the support from Sister Katherine Drexel. Throughout the decades Red Cloud Indian School relied on contributions from networks, including friends of the Society of Jesus, the Black and Indian Mission, and a national direct mail program. These fundraising efforts fluctuated significantly since the mid-century and plateau in the early 2000s forcing a board directed change to raise additional financial support. This dissertation examines the research question: “In what ways do high net worth individual supporters understand their relationship to Red Cloud Indian School from Fiscal Years 2007 through 2011 which led to an increase in financial support of fortyfour percent (44%) over the five-year period.” This study provides an example of donor relationships with an organization, in particular engaging donors who support educational organizations for indigenous populations. Understanding the donors’ perceptions, desires, and motivations for directing their philanthropic activity specific to Red Cloud will complement the quantitative research that has been completed regarding high net worth donors. This study uses an emergent qualitative design, which allows the study to evolve and be as malleable as possible in order to follow the interviewees and explore information uncovered.

Donor-acceptor systems have unique properties that make them ideal candidates for solar energy harvesting through mimicry of natural photosynthesis. This dissertation is focused on unraveling those unique properties in various types of donor-acceptor systems. The systems investigated are categorized as closely linked, push-pull, supramolecular, and multi-unit. As part of the study, photosynthetic analogues based on BF2-chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY), porphyrin, phthalocyanine, truxene, ferrocene, quinone, phenothiazine (PTZ), perylenediimide (PDI), fullerene (C60), dicyanoquinodimethane (DCNQ), tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD), and triphenylamine (TPA) are investigated. The effects of proximity between donor-acceptor entities, their geometrical orientation relative to each other, push-pull character of substituents, and competitive energy and electron transfer are examined. In all systems, primary events of photosynthesis are observed, that is absorption and energy transfer and/or electron transfer is witnessed. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy is utilized to characterize the photo-induced events, while other methods such as steady-state luminescence, cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and computational calculations are used to aid in the characterization of the donor-acceptor systems, in particular their applicability as solar energy harvesters.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to identify and explore issues and challenges that impact on transplant coordinators and their practice. Such identification enhances understanding of their role, provides evidence for decision-makers to facilitate the positive aspects of the coordinators' practice, highlights their professional needs and contributions and provides baseline data for future research, education and policy development. The study used both qualitative and quantitative data. Data collection methods involved focus group interviews and Delphi surveys. Participants were coordinators who were employed on a full-time, part-time or relieving basis. Recruitment of participants was done by purposive and snowball sampling. There were 112 coordinators in the study and each was randomly assigned to the focus groups or Delphi survey phases of the research. The analysis of the focus group data together with the literature, informed the development of the first Delphi survey. The second Delphi survey was developed using the data from the focus groups, literature and the first survey. Four categories emerged from the data. The first involved 'knowledge and experience', which explored the education needs of coordinators and the issue of nursing qualification requirements. The work environment, demands and conditions, together with role attributes were discussed in the next category - 'the role'. Recipient, donor family and transplant coordinator outcomes were addressed in the 'outcomes’ category. The basic social process – building relationships - explored the relationships that coordinators have with the health team and their client groups. Four types of relationships emerged which were supportive, non-supportive, aggressive and virtual relationships. The emergent theory of the challenges that transplant coordinators face relates to the building of relationships. The theory also discovers how knowledge and experience, the role and outcomes impact on the building of these relationships in an interdependent manner. This study also emphasises that the transplant coordinators' role is complex, demanding and distinctly unique in terms of the context within which coordinators practice. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1311520 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2008

5,8-Bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-2-(naphthalen-2-yl)-3-ferrocenyl-4a,8a-dihydroquinoxaline (DEFNQ), 5,8-bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-2-(phenyl)-3 ferrocenylquinoxaline (DEFPQ) and 5,8-bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-2,3-di(naphthalen-2-yl)quinoxaline (DEDNQ) were synthesized, electrochemically polymerized and electrochromic properties of resultant polymers were investigated. For the characterization of the monomers Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR) were used. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Ultraviolet&ndash / Visible Spectroscopy were used to investigate electrochemical behavior of the monomers and redox reactions of conducting polymers. After electrochemical polymerizations, the electrochromic properties of the conducting polymers were investigated via spectroelectrochemistry, kinetic and colorimetry studies to explore the one of most important property of conducting polymers, the ability to switch reversibly between the two states of different optical properties, &lsquo / electrochromism&rsquo / . Cyclic Voltammetry and Spectroelectrochemistry studies for PDEFNQ, PDEFPQ and PDEDNQ showed that ferrocenyl (Fc) group containing derivatives are multichromic green to transmissive polymer with high tendency to be both p and n doped. PDEDNQ which was not functionalized with ferrocenyl group does not show multichromism. According to the electrochemical and spectroscopic results each polymer is a potential candidate for optoelectronic applications.

The research and development of organic electron donors is essential in the discovery of photodynamic therapy photosensitizers and catalysts, as well as in the fabrication of organic-based electronic devices. Recently, [pi]-extended tetrathiafulvalenes (exTTFs) have emerged as important organic donors due to their superb electronic properties. However, in general, exTTFs lack significant absorption in the visible and near-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, thereby limiting their utility. This doctoral dissertation depicts the author's efforts to address this inherent drawback of exTTFs by extending the electronic conjugation of tetrathiafulvalene moieties through pyrrole-based chromophores. The reported findings describe the design, synthesis, properties and potential applications of exTTFs with greatly enhanced absorption profiles. The first Chapter provides a brief historical overview on the history and development of [pi]-extended tetrathiafulvalenes. The various conjugated linkers utilized in exTTF systems are reviewed. In the latter part of the Chapter, emphasis is given to the applications in which exTTFs find use. Chapter 2, as the major focus of the dissertation, details the synthesis and characteristics of a quinoidal porphyrin-bridged exTTF, termed MTTFP. Several metalated complexes, including the Zn, Co, Cu, and Ni derivatives of MTTFP are reported. Additionally, the electrochemical, photophysical, and structural properties of MTTFPs are discussed. We also detail our efforts to synthesize and characterize both the one- and two-electron oxidized forms of MTTFPs. Finally, we discuss our efforts to reversibly switch thermodynamic electron transfer from ZnTTFP to Li@C₆₀ through coordination of axial ligands. Chapter 3 describes the formation of a 2:1 supramolecular ionic porphyrin complex between the two-electron oxidized form of ZnTTFP and a tetranionic sulfonated porphyrin. The association constants and the X-ray crystal structure of the complex are reported. A brief discussion outlining the photophysical characteristics (performed in Prof. Shunichi Fukuzumi and Prof. Dongho Kim's group) of the porphyrin donor-acceptor complexes are included. Chapter 4 details the synthesis, photophysical properties, and spectroelectrochemistry of a difluoroboradiazaindacene (BODIPY) bridged exTTF. This compound is referred to as ex-BODIPY. A singlet oxygen generation study provides initial evidence that ex-BODIPY could potentially serve as a photosensitizer. All of the experimental procedures, characterization data, and X-ray crystallographic data tables are reported in Chapter 5. / text